Help me understand the marketplace

[Big J Money]

I'm a bit confused by the marketplace and buildings like it (Colossus, etc)

The wording makes it sound like I only benefit from trade routes that OTHER civs connect to my city; not from my own outgoing trade routes. Is this true?

If it is, it makes using them more difficult because you can't control who sends you a trade route and to what city. Also, your opponent can move his routes around at will, I believe (I haven't tried shifting a route yet)

Thanks

 

[stealth_nsk]

If it is, it makes using them more difficult because you can't control who sends you a trade route and to what city

1. Sender of the trade route will benefit from the marketplace as well. So chances to get incoming trade routes are higher.

2. Income from trade routes depends on resource differences and other factors, You could predict which cities will be the most valuable targets.

 

[Big J Money]

Okay so I was correct. Sounds like the strategy for marketplace is to wait until you see incoming caravans before you build them or else they COST you 1 gold!

So the relevant change to marketplace gameplay seems to be:

1) You don't spam them anymore (since they cost 1 gold if they aren't being used; potentially offset by the 25% local increase though)

2) You don't build them as soon as you research them. You have to wait until they're lucrative.

All in all I'm noticing that early gold (Ancient/Classical) is far more variable than it was before. Monty attacked me in Classical (him Ancient) and he really drained his coffers. I held onto the war a long time after I fended him off because it took me so long to build up enough gold for my counter-assault.

I wiped him out, btw. His starting city was the worst I've seen. Early rushing seems to have really been nerfed if you don't start in a spot with really pricey luxes or have other civs to trade gpt with.

 

[stealth_nsk]

Okay so I was correct.

Don't use me as a source, I don't have the game yet

BTW, from here http://well-of-souls.com/civ/civ5_bravenewworld.html the market is:
Now provides a base +1 Gold (down from +2) and +25% Gold, but International Trade Routes with this city will generate an additional +2 Gold for the city owner and +1 Gold for the originator of the trade route. Still has one Merchant Specialist slot.

So, it should be giving gold instead of spending.

 

[Big J Money]

I think that quote is worded incorrectly. I'll have to double check on it giving 1 gold, but I'm pretty sure that I saw it costs one gold in the tooltip. Would be awesome if i was wrong.

When I come back I'll post the tooltip wording.

 

[Chris Hill]

You have to wait until they're lucrative.

But it is your decision who you want to send a trade route to. You can see the list of possible trade partners when you have built the caravan, and sort that to show max gpt, gpt difference etc. Unless you are unlucky, they will always be profitable.

You can also see all of the possible trade targets in the culture view.

And remember that you, at a base, get twice the gpt to the other end.

All I need now is to get my copy.

 

[SamBC]

Markets do not cost you gold, they give you gold - just more if you have incoming routes there.

 

[Big J Money]

But it is your decision who you want to send a trade route to. You can see the list of possible trade partners when you have built the caravan, and sort that to show max gpt, gpt difference etc. Unless you are unlucky, they will always be profitable.

I think you misunderstand. The market doesn't give you +2 gold to your trade route.

It gives you +2 gold for another civs' trade route into your city. It also gives them +1 gold.

Also I went and looked, and you guys are correct, the market gives 1 gold, it does not cost 1 gold. I guess I was just looking at the tooltip too quickly in the build menu!

So regardless of trade routes, it makes sense to build markets as soon as you are able. That hasn't changed.